


Changing Tides

by bgeiner



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, whouffaldi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-22
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-10 17:34:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4401035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgeiner/pseuds/bgeiner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The streets of Gallifrey were not meant for midnight strolls. You will not find any couples or children out past 12 o’clock on these streets, only shadows that creep in the night, filled with darkness and terror. Sadly, Clara Oswald didn't know this...</p><p>Alternate Universe - A Gang AU, boiled down to the Timelords vs. Daleks</p><p>My first Fanfic/AO3 story, I will post the first chapter that I have (I am still writing it) and If people like it, I will post more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Gallifrey

**Author's Note:**

> (A/N) If you are reading this, thank you so much! I am a huge Whoffuldi fan and I decided to give writing a try. Sorry for all the grammatical errors, I tried but I don’t think I got them all. I know this story will suck but if you could do me the honor of review or commenting, I would greatly appreciate it!  
> … Happy Readings (;
> 
> PS: I do not own Doctor Who nor do I own the characters, If I did.... things would be different(:

**Changing Tides - Chapter 1: _Gallifrey_**

_The streets of Gallifrey were not meant for midnight strolls. You will not find any couples or children out past 12 o’clock on these streets, only shadows that creep in the night, filled with darkness and terror._

* * *

 

  Clara Oswald was only 28 when she moved to the United States from England. She loved Blackpool, but she wanted to see the world and explore all that it had to offer. After she graduated college, she tried to look for a nice city with a great education system so that she could use her newly attained degree of Early Childhood Education  _to better children’s lives._

Or so she told herself…

But Clara didn’t have time for self-doubt, she spent months looking for a suitable place to live but no options were sticking out. She traveled to different cities to look for jobs personally and not relying on the Internet, but her hopes were crushed. She almost gave up, almost agreeing with her Dad that ‘education is a failing field, why not go into law enforcement?’

“I need to clear my head”, she said. So she took to the streets, she didn’t know where she was going- as long as it was away from her life that was currently being flushed away. She walked along the curb, hearing the cars go by against wet pavement. She hadn’t noticed the rain before, but luckily it was only a light drizzle. She popped up her hood and kept walking, dim streetlights showing her the path through the night.

Clara walked up and down the streets, passing corners and allies but never people, she noticed. She thought for a moment about how to get home, but she didn’t know.

 “Oh no.” she whispered into the night.

 She tried to remember where she came from, which direction, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t even remember what city she was in. After the city of Akhaten, they all kind of blurred together.

_'Not Akhaten… No. Greenwich, no, but- G…'_ Clara tried to think of where she was but could only think of the letter ‘G’...

 “Gallifrey! That’s where I am!” she shouted into the night.

 She was so happily distracted by her discovery that she failed to notice the shadows creeping up behind her.


	2. Survival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Doctor Who nor the characters, if I did tho - things would be a lot different... (;

* * *

 Chapter 2-   ** _Survival_**

 

As Clara continued to walk down the street, she heard a noise. It sounded like the squeak of a shoe on pavement. She quickly turned around to be met with the faces of 2 men in black hoodies standing a foot away from her. She screeched as they reached out to get her. She backed away and turned at the same time but fell in the process. As they approached her, she tried to think of a way to defend herself. 

_‘Ok, think! Dad taught you this, you have police training for god sakes, think!’_

Just then she remembered something. While she was on the ground, with one man ahead of the other and almost on her, she turned on her side and secured her position on the ground with her left leg flat and her left arm straight for support of her upper body. She brought up her right arm in a defensive position and raised her leg, ready to kick her attacker with her right foot into his gut or groin.

When he was barely 6 inches away and reaching down to pull her up, she kicked out with her foot and got him right in the groin. The man stumbled back and leaned over while yelling at the other goon to get her. 

Clara scrambled to her feet and got into a defensive stance, fully ready to take on her attacker. She observed how he ran towards her and saw that he limped on his left side. She quickly made a plan in her head of how to take him down. She kicked his right kneecap, causing him to find support on his left leg, but it gave out and he fell to the ground. While he was down, Clara kneed him in the face and watched his nose break and blood come rushing out. He bent down and covered his face with his hands, but she could still see the smile that spread across his face.

_‘Why is he –‘_

Just then she felt someone put her in a chokehold from behind. Her eyes went wide and she started to panic as she felt the grip around her throat tighten. She tried to calm herself and remember how to get out of the hold but her mind was becoming fuzzy. She scraped and clawed at the arm, which blocked her from inhaling the beautiful oxygen she so desperately wanted. 

She suddenly felt instincts kick in, _about time,_ and she pulled at his arm, tucked her chin in- letting her airway open and elbowed him in the gut. The grip around her throat released and she pushed up his arm, ducked under and ran forward, trying to suck in as much oxygen as she could. She tried to blink away the spots in her vision and not let herself fall into a panic attack, but she was soon distracted by an arm, encircling her waist. She looked down at the arm then back up and saw a fist coming straight towards her face.

Then all she saw was darkness.


	3. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To anyone who is reading this- Thank You so much for the Kudos and the reads...

* * *

Chapter 3- **_Awakening_**  

 

Clara woke up to blackness, ' _why is it so black'?_  She then realized that her eyes would not open.  _‘Come on!’_ she thought and commanded her brain. She was almost about to cry out but refrained when she heard a door open and voices. She stopped any movement, not that there was any anyway, and tried to breathe normally.

 _“What is this? I asked you to go to Sarah Jane’s and get what I wanted, not bring back some girl… who looks barely 20. Why did you do this?”_ said a deep voice.

For some reason, it made her homesick. But she couldn’t think with all that has happened so far, so she just listened. 

“I was just trying to help-” another voice said. It sounded manly and full of fear.

_Why was he afraid?_

“How were you trying to help, hmmm? Did you just randomly think ‘Oh, this helpless pudding brain would really help us somehow?’”

“But she’s not helpless, she took down Adam and Mickey in under 3 minutes. Sir, the only reason we got her was because I came to pick them up from the assignment and saw her beatin’ em to a pulp.”, the scared man pleaded with the deep voiced one, _Sir._

There was silence; no movement or sound was heard. She strained her ears to hear if anything was being said but- nothing. Then… the silence was broken.

“She took down Mickey-” started the Sir.

“And Adam!” the other answered but soon paused realizing his mistake, “Sir… 

 _‘What does that mean.’_ Clara didn’t think that she did something wrong, she was only protecting herself!

“And I also got her because of Ri-”

“Don’t speak that name Strax” the deep voice growled.

The way the he responded to the other man, ' _Strax'-_ Clara knew that whatever Strax was going to say was not meant to be discussed.  

“Fine… Prep her for interrogation. You know what happens after that.” he said ominously to Strax.  

“Yes, Sir. Right away _Doctor_.”

And then Clara started to lose consciousness again, but one thought stayed clear in all the rushing haze.           

**"** **Doctor. . ."**


	4. Interrogation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello...

* * *

Chapter 4- _**Interrogation**_

 

After Clara lost consciousness again, she later woke up, blindfolded and sitting upright. She tried to move her arms but she was met with resistance from a rope, which tied her limbs to whatever she was sitting on.

 _Ok, so I must be tied to a chair._ She tried to shift where she was sitting and felt how sore her bum was. _Make that a metal chair._

Clara started to fidget but stopped when she heard the sound of a door opening. Her brain raced, trying to figure out what had happened, but it was not computing. She remembered being fought and then being taken, the two men talking – one was named Strax and the other was…

 _‘Oh it doesn’t matter’,_ she thought to herself. _‘Just figure out what is happening_ now _, not then-',_  her thoughts were interrupted when she felt the blindfold be violently ripped from her face.

“Speak boy, or I will inflict torture upon you!” Came a harsh voice from beside Clara.

Her eyes were met with a bright light and she had to blink many times to let her eyes slowly adjust. She went to look at who was talking and found a short, big-headed bald man standing next to her, wearing what looked like armor. His face had a devilish grin on it and his blue armor made him look even more intimidating by the second.

“Oh, come off her Strax, she looks scared and helpless. Plus, _you_ brought her in and that’s no way to treat a guest.”

At the sound of a female voice, Clara turned her attention to the front of her. She saw a woman with dark hair that was pulled back, a look crossed between a smirk and scowl and arms crossed at her chest. She was wearing all black and had a mole at the corner of her mouth. She stood in the front of the room, leaning back casually against the back wall, but looked ready to attack at any moment. Just then, the door that she heard before opened to show another woman coming in.

“Yes, please don’t offend the girl Strax, apparently Jenny is quite taken with her,” this new woman said. Her words were spoken with a hint of amusement but had a twist of nastiness at the end.

 _‘What did I do!_ ’ Clara thought. This woman, who wore a dark multicolored green getup, which clung to her like a second skin, was staring at her with a hint of contempt.

“Oh stop it both of you! Strax let the girl alone for now and Vastra, stop acting jealous.” Said the black-clothed girl – _Jenny_.

The two others seemed to narrow their gaze on Jenny but backed away from Clara and the dark haired girl at the same time.

“Good, now, my name is Jenny,” she said while pulling out the chair from the metal table which lay in front of them, “and that is Vastra and Strax.”

Clara looked at Strax and Vastra and then turned her gaze back to Jenny. The girl had laid a folder on the table and opened it, nodding and humming while she flipped through the pages inside. She then put the folder back down and resumed her stare at Clara.

“Hmm, so… Clara.”

“Yes…?” Clara questioned nervously.

“Clara Oswald.”

“Yeah…”

“Nice name, Clara Oswald. Do you know why you are here Miss Oswald?”

“No, I have no idea why I am here.”

After Clara said this, a grunt came from the door.

“Ha, of course, the boy doesn’t know.” Strax huffed under his breath.

“That is a _woman_ Strax,” said Vastra as she stood up from her position, “and her name is Clara.”

“Both of you, shut it!” Jenny yelled and sighed, “Now where were we… Oh yes. You are here because you took out two of our men.”

“Took them out! You make it sound like I killed them, I was just trying to protect myself!” Clara bellowed, trying to rise from her chair but was soon reminded of her confines.

“Yes well, the Doctor likes to see past such technicalities.”

There was that name again. _The Doctor_.

Jenny cleared her throat. “Anyway, long story short, we would like to offer you a job.”

“What?!”

Clara stared at the girl, dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what she was just asked. _A job!_ She was just told that she beat two men and now these people are giving her a job offer? Clara saw Vastra move towards the table, next to Jenny.

“I can see that you are stunned. We are offering you a position in our organization.”

“What is your… organization?”

“We are an organized crime syndicate whose primary activities are protection, racketeering, the arbitration of disputes between criminals, and the organizing and oversight of illegal agreements and transactions,” Vastra recited with practiced ease.

“So you’re the Mafia. Oh, bollocks.” Clara groaned sarcastically.

“Oi, watch it, Ma’am, she’s got a mouth on ‘er.”

“Yes, the little ape does.”

“Ok… just wait. First of all, I have a name, look in your little file there. Second of all, why do you want me to in your Mafia? I am not very, mafia-type.” Clara asked.

“Because we recently had a… opening and you look like a very good fit. Strax is the one that pointed you out.” Jenny answered. “ You also only have two options Miss. Oswald.”

Clara gulped, she knew it would come to this. Join them… or die.

“And what are my options?”

“You shall join us or be slaughtered!” Strax said a little too enthusiastically.

Vastra then cleared her throat, causing Clara’s gaze to land on her again.

“Clara, please. It is a shame to see an innocent die just because we were trying to be helpful but they turned it down.”

“Are you kidding me? Do you even hear yourselves? I have a life ahead of me; I just graduated college and starting to make my way in the world. It’s not our fault that some people rather do good in the world than make it worse with violence."

“Then help us make it a better place, Miss. Oswald. We are trying to condone the violence and greed in this city but that takes time."

Clara was tired of this conversation. She didn’t want to die, but she also didn’t want to join the Mafia either. She saw what her Dad had to deal with and she has seen too many TV shows and movies to know that joining with them may not be the best idea. Maybe she could stump them, I mean, she can't be that important. Right?

“What would I do for you guys anyway…?”

“ Your file suggests that you have had Police background before. Is that not true?”

“Well yes, but- I only ever helped my Dad sometimes and I have meager self-defense training-“

“No matter what your excuses are, you still get the two options.” Replied Vastra.

“That’s better than one Miss,” Jenny added with a smile, hoping that Clara would choose to stay. Jenny liked her already. The short, brown eyed and brunet haired girl seem sassy and bossy and a perfect match for the Doctor. ‘ _Better not jump on that boat’_ Jenny thought to herself. The Doctor was still trying to get over-

But a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and the interrogation. A head popped through the crack between the door and the wall.

“Are you almost done yet? The Boss wants us, he is having a meeting with all of us.” The man said. Clara saw that he was darker skinned, had a low haircut and resembled one of the men from her attack earlier. 

“Yes we are almost done here, thank you, Mickey.” Vastra replied and the door shut again. “It seems that we must go.”

 _‘Oh no, I have to decide!’_ Clara thought. She couldn’t decide now, she barely had enough time to fully comprehend what they were saying.

“Actually, Ma’am, what if Clara came along,” Jenny’s voice was a blessing for Clara. “She could see how we work and she can have that time to think too. And plus, it wouldn’t hurt because you are just going to kill her anyway if she says no.”

Clara flinched at that last part.

“I guess so,” Vastra smiled, “I made a great choice of keeping you, Miss. Flint.”

Jenny smiled at the green clothed woman. “Well, you are the one who married me, Ma’am. You didn't leave yourself much choice whether to keep me or not.” Strax scoffed at the exchange between the now known couple. Clara stared in confusion at the trio. _Oh my stars, they are all crazy_ she thought to herself. She _would_ have put her head in her hands but that option was not possible at the moment. So she just hung her head and sighed.

Vastra and Jenny look to Clara and motioned for Strax to open the door. Strax and Vastra walked out into the hallway while Jenny helped Clara up and escorted her to the debriefing. Clara’s heart started to beat a-million-times-a-minute.

“Relax love, it's not as bad as we make it sound” Jenny whispered to Clara and she tightened her grip on the girls arm. Clara assumed it was supposed to be a sign of comfort but it only proceeded to make her even more anxious.

“I don’t want to do this. Why would anyone want to do this!”

After Clara said this she instantly regretted it. A flash of hurt and betrayal had momentarily appeared on Jenny’s face.

“Not all of us have a choice Clara. For many of us, joining Gallifrey and becoming a companion or a Timelord is our best option.”

“I am sorry Jenny, I didn’t mean to offend you. I just- it’s that… I have a life waiting for me. This isn’t my best option, not a choice that I would choose to make if it was given to me optionally." Clara finished and sighed, she could see the hurt in Jenny's face, and though a part of her reveled in that fact that she could make her captor sad, a different part of her felt bad and wanted to help. _Oh god, what am I getting myself into?_

"So um, what’s a Time… Lord?” Clara asked. Jenny raised her head a perked up just a bit, but Clara could tell that she was trying to mask her surprise and oddly present glee. 

“Oh well, that’s what the leaders of the Old Gallifrey Faction were called.”

“Gallifrey _Faction_?”

“It's just a formal way of saying gang or mafia.” Jenny told Clara in a reassuring voice, but Clara didn’t feel so reassured.

“So are they going to be at this meeting?"

Jenny cleared her throat and looked down at the floor. “Um, no. The Gallifrey Faction fell a long time ago. Back when the city of Gallifrey was a peaceful and happy metropolis the crime, if there was any, was only petty and simple. They say that the local police dealt with it and everything was fine. But then a man from a city not too far from Gallifrey, from Skaro, came and started to cause problems. His name was Davros and he had hired goons to wreak havoc upon the week city. Soon the police couldn’t handle all that Davros and his gang were doing, so a few of the members of the department got together to make a task force with the keen focus of eliminating the new gang.”

“After that, they had to work in secret so they called themselves the _Timelords_. They fought against the goons which were now called the _Daleks_. Soon, the two group’s only focus was to hurt one another as much as possible, the Timelords families were murdered and Skaro had kicked out all Dalek members in fear for their own survival. Gallifrey soon became more like a battleground than the family friendly city it set out to be. The Timelords divided their force into different ‘sectors’ and their numbers grew and grew. At first, only men wanting to ensure their families a little more protection joined- but then it turned into using any boy above the age of 14. The Academy used to train police officers but now it produced Timelords, dishing out new recruits to fight the Daleks. This conflict had grown to take over the whole of Gallifrey, but then one day, something devastating happened. During the final days of the bloody war, the Timelords and Daleks had all of their forces at Arcadia City Hall. Both forces were having one of the worst battles yet: with so many deaths and so much more to come. But then… " Jenny paused, "there was an explosion, it was so devastating that the Timelords and Daleks were all destroyed.”

Clara just stared at Jenny, captivated by the lengthy story and not believing what she had just heard. She noticed they had stopped moving and people were trying to pass them. Clara wanted to ask Jenny what happened next but then she was being tugged forward.

“Wait, Jenny, what happened next?” Clara tried to ask the woman who was in a rush to follow the crowd of people ahead.

“Well, the city didn’t really know what happened. One minute there was fighting in front of Arcadia and the next there was a loud noise, which left rubble and silence. There was no Timelords or Daleks left, but I guess that’s what his plan was.”

“ _His_ plan?”

“Well… yeah” Jenny said, “ I mean, it makes the most sense. Explosions are never random, especial one of that size and significance. A lot of people later said that they were glad it happened, too many were dying and the collateral damage was devastating.”

“Huh, yeah…” Clara mumbled and scowled at Jenny. “But how could someone kill all of those people.”

Then a deep, Scottish voice spoke, “Maybe he was trying to stop the damage from spreading onward even more so than it already had.”

Clara slowly turned to look at where that answer was coming from. Her eyes met a tall, grey-haired, apparently Scottish from the way he answered her, man. He was wearing a crisp white shirt with a waistcoat and overcoat of blue with a red lining, matching blue trousers and grey eyebrows that could open bottle caps. _Wait, that voice?_

“Oh um, sorry Sir… I didn’t see you there-“ Jenny acknowledged the man.

‘ _Sir_ ’ Clara thought as she turned back to look at Jenny. “- I don't think we missed the meeting right?”

“No, Mrs. Flint, you are not. I just happened to be going in at the same time you were.” The man said. Clara slowly returned her gaze back to the man behind of them. He was staring at her when she noticed that his eyes were ice blue. She figured that most would shrink away and run from that stone cold glare, but it only made Clara stand her ground and challenge him equally with her own scowl.

Clara heard someone clear their throat but she didn’t turn to see where it came from.

“Um, Doctor this is Clara Oswald. Clara Oswald this is the Doctor.” Jenny said to the man. ‘ _The Doctor’!_ This was the Doctor! Clara felt a twinge in her stomach; she didn’t know why they feeling was there but-

“This was the pudding brain who took down Nine’s Companions,” he said plainly like he already knew who she was. 

“Excuse me! But I-” Clara tried to interject but Jenny butted in. “Sorry Sir, but we really must be going, heard that this was an important one, eh.” Her comment about the meeting seemed to knock the Doctor’s attention off of Clara.

“Yes, Jenny it is very important.” The Doctor turned his head towards Clara once more, glared with one raised eyebrow then disappeared inside the room.

“Blimey, let us get on with it.” Jenny said, looking a little flustered as she led Clara into the room. Clara was utterly perplexed by what just happened but that was soon forgotten when she looked around the room.

“Oh my stars…"


	5. Sealed Fates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while, it isn't that best. I have to write chapter 6 and so forth but with school coming up I am afraid this will not be completely how I wanted it to be. Sorry but please leave comments about errors or ideas if you want, thanks! 
> 
> -Brianna

* * *

Chapter 5 **– _Sealed Fates_**

 

 As Clara's eyes scanned the room she tried her best not to gasp and stare. The only thing that she could compare this sight to was to when she first looked at Time Square in person. Of course, it didn’t have bright flashing lights and cars but people wise, well…

The room was massive; it looked like a Senate room might. Lines of long desks on many different raised levels, they were almost like platforms. They all faced a sort-of stage, a semi-oval surrounding the center of the room. The stage had a pillar straight through the center of it and it had what looked like cylinder tubes that glowed orange inside of it.

As you look around the room, the walls were covered in numerous bookshelves, desks, and round thing that seemed to emit light – while the walls themselves looked like they were made out of metal or steel.

Clara noticed that even though the room was very… different, the people in which it contained were even stranger!

All around the room were people, different people. There was probably every kind of people in this room, and some even looked like they were never even born on Earth in the first place! Groups of people flocked to the different levels of desks, all concerned with papers and talking to each other. Somewhere running between desks and some just looked bored by the whole thing.

As Clara was busy taking all this in, a bell went off and people started moving.

“Come on Clara, we should go this way.” Said a voice next to her. She forgot for a moment, the situation that she was in.

Clara followed Jenny, passed crowds of people and desks, to a table that was near the front of the room. She saw Vastra and Strax at the table, sorting through some papers while talking to the desk beside them.

Jenny got Clara a seat and put it next to her chair so Clara could see all that was happening. From this side of the room, she could see everything differently. People orderly lined behind desks and tables and they looked as if they were sectioned off in a way.

“Now, Now… Everyone its time to start” said a voice from the front of the room. Everyone turned and quieted down while focusing their attention on the man on the stage. It was the Doctor.

“Today we only have to go over very little but it is still crucial we will start with the reports.”

Clara’s gaze shifted to the movement in the room. There was a group of people, rising from their chairs and gathering papers as if prepared to read them. There was a man and women who were talking to each other and seemed to be in a confrontation of some sort but were soon interrupted when a teenage girl cleared her throat and pointed to the man who was standing. The man was elderly looking and appeared to be dressed in Victorian-ish clothes – a black frock coat, a wing-collared shirt, and a black necktie. When he spoke, he brought his hands up to hold onto the lapels of his coat.

“We have secured the perimeter of Area 1. We will be monitoring the activity around it. It will be functional very soon.”

When the white harried man was done talking, the teenage girl beside him stood up.

“Grandfather, Barbara, Ian and I had a run-in with a few Daleks too, Doctor.”

“That is true, but we took care of them swiftly and tranquility.” The ‘Grandfather’ said, as he looked at the girl and then to the Doctor.

The Doctor, who had been pacing back and forth, nodded to the man.

“Thank you, One.” The Doctor then moved his gaze to the group neighboring the first one. “Two?”

A boy wearing a kilt stood up and was talking to the Doctor; apparently he was Scottish too. During his speech, he gestured multiple time to the fellow beside him. He had a mop-top kind of hairdo and was leaning back in his chair while fiddling with what looked like a recorder of some kind. Apparently the boy was Jamie and the man in the chair was Two.

Clara started to tune out what was being said in the meeting after that. She was still trying to contemplate why the Doctor called people by numbers. Was he so insolent and callous that he refused to call people by their actual name?

“Hey, Jenny?” Clara turned to Jenny. The women leaned over but didn’t turn her head towards Clara, but she returned the inquiry. “Yes, Clara?”

“Why did the Doctor call those people by numbers?” After Clara asked her question, Jenny fully turned to her and gave her a confused look. Then recognition crossed her face.

“Oh, cause that’s their names.”

“What? Why! What did they do to deserve that? That’s so degrading!” Clara started to raise her voice and a few people started to turn their heads.

“Clara, Clara stop- you need to quiet down!” Jenny whispered harshly. Clara stopped her ranting and looked around: the main meeting wasn’t interrupted but a few heads were turned. One person that caught Clara’s gaze was a girl with ginger hair who was smiling at her, but a man in a tweed jacket with floppy hair, turned to talk to her. Clara returned to Jenny and asked again, “Why are their names numbers?

“Well, because that is the order in which they became Doctor’s”

“Became … a doctor, what does that mean.”

“No- not became a doctor, a Doctor.” Jenny stressed: Vastra shushed them and gave them a menacing glare. Jenny scoffed, and lowered her voice.

“I am not quite sure why, but all the Companion leaders are Doctor’s. There are Twelve Doctor’s but they only call the Twelfth Doctor 'Doctor'.”

“That's the grumpy Scottish one that I met, right.”

“Ha, yes well, he isn’t always grumpy. He has been through quite a bit so, don’t be too judgmental.” Jenny says with a shy but warm smile. Clara was about to ask another question when the Doctor’s voice interrupted.

“Eleven, I hope your report is better than the last ones” then he went on to grumble about bitchy trampolines or something… But then a man, the one that she saw earlier in the tweed, jumped up and spoke.

“Ah yes, well we all have our difficulties sometimes Doctor,” after Eleven said this he fixed the bowtie on his collar, “Anyway, the Ponds and I have been tackling the problem with the Angles, they keep snatching our operatives when our backs are turned, disappearing when we stop to even blink- but we will catch them soon, shocked and with their hands down.” He then smiled back to the couple sitting in the seats beside them and gave them a thumbs up along with a glowing smile.

Eleven then sat down and the Doctor gave him a grumbly sigh. “Does anyone else have any other reports? How about the Paternoster’s?” The Doctor then shifted his gaze to Clara.

What did I do now?

He then moved his eyes to the rising Jenny and Vastra. Strax narrowed his eyes at Clara and he gave her a wicked grin. Clara did not like that look.

“Thank you, Doctor, we have to report that we are taking care of the disturbance from yesterday” Vastra gave her a look and smirked, “we are handling it with the utmost … care.”

Clara scoffed at the green ladies’ comment. She wanted answers and she was tired of waiting.

You're not going to have to ask any more questions when you're dead.

“Well, I believe that is all that we needed to cover today. Thank you all for showing, now get out of here.” The Doctor ended the meeting with the sneering comments

and everyone started to rise and leave.

“Come on Clara, we must go back to the room now.” Jenny said in Clara’s ear. A rush of anxiety and fear filled her as Vastra and Strax rose and turned to her. Jenny grabbed her arm lightly and tugged, guiding her into a standing position. Then Jenny, with Strax and Vastra behind them, led her out of the room. As they were walking out, the man in the bow tie and tweed jacket, Eleven she believed his name was, walked over to them with a happy smile on his face.

When he reached them he spoke at length, “Hi, I am Eleven and these are my friends Amy and Rory,” he said as he gestured towards the couple who she saw in the meeting. “I just wanted to say hello and ask what you name is! Seeing how you are in custody, you got the options, and it would be wise to choose that one option over the other- and to make sure that you do choose that option, I will engage in conversation with you so you have more of a reason to not… well, die. But! Let's not think of that at the moment eh, so I better say Hi!” After he stopped the ginger beside him laughed.

“Um hi, my name is Clara. Clara Oswald.”

The young man hummed and brought his fingers to his lips and concentrated. “Oswald, Oswald. Nice name Clara Oswald.” The girl who had laughed before now coughed as to get the two’s attention. “My name is Amy and this is my boyfriend Rory.” The man beside her shifted a little and smiled politely.

“Now that these pleasantries are done, we must take Miss. Clara back to her cell.” Vastra said as she eyed Eleven and the Ponds.

“Yes -yes, of course. Sorry, I hope everything goes well though.” Eleven fixed his bowtie and gave Clara a sincere look before he left with his companions trailing after him. Amy quickly turned around to face them again “Clara,” she said with a sincere look, "Don't be rash and remember, the Doctor isn't all that bad." She turned back and walked away leaving Clara confused wanting to question her but she couldn't.

Vastra, Jenny, and Strax led Clara back to the interrogation room. Clara sat in the chair that she was once in before and watched as the trio situated themselves around the room again.

“Miss Oswald we-”

But Vastra was interrupted by a knock at the door.

“This better be good,” the green women all but hissed.

She walked to the door and swung it open, clearly trying to show how frustrated she was to the person behind the door.

“Sorry Madam but the Doctor told me to deliver this to you immediately.” The boy handed a piece of paper.

“Thank you, Rigsy” She nodded to the boy then shut the door.

“What is it, ma’am? Why is the Doctor sending you a note now?” Jenny asked Vastra but there was no reply. When the women looked up from the note, she handed it to questioning brunet.

“It seems there has been a change of plan. We are to escort Miss. Oswald to the Doctor.“

“What! But I thought I get my choice!” Clara could feel her fears rising again. ‘Why is this happening to me?’ Jenny looked baffled by the whole thing while Strax looked mad. Clara rose from her seat and they left the room. They walked down corridor after corridor, passing people and rooms. Clara thought maybe she could make a run for it later but she couldn’t navigate these halls.

After what seemed like 20 minutes, they finally stopped at a blue door. Strax knocked and they waited. It swung open and it showed the Doctor in the center of the room.

“Here is Miss. Oswald, Doctor. I hope you know what you are doing.” And with that Vastra shoved Clara in and the door closed, locking her in. She stumbled but soon regained her balance. She looked around the room and noticed the similar design that was in the council room. There were three levels in the room- the top had bookshelf’s that lined the walls with desks next to them, the bottom most couldn’t be seen that well but glowing circles were placed in rows on the wall, and the main floor (the one they were standing on) was almost like a balcony between the two floors and had a table and comfy chairs on it.

Her eyes found the Doctor pacing in the middle of the room before her. He looked up and their gazes locked.

“Miss. Oswald” he said ominously. She didn’t know why he called her here but she was determined to find out.

“Why am I here? What do you want with me? You said I get to choose what I want. First, you beat me up, then I wake up to an interrogation, get dragged to a weird meeting and now I get dragged to be in a room with you.”

The Doctor stood there shocked, his face betrayed his inner thoughts but it was soon corrected and the mask slid back into place. But to his unknowing dismay, a smirk had slipped through.

“Well if you would only silence that round face of yours, you would let me explain the interesting position you are in.” Clara narrowed her eyes at the man in front of her. ‘Rude, sarcastic git.’ she thought.

“Thank you, now you have been brought here under my orders. I have come to the recent conclusion that you are valuable to Gallifrey and I plan to not have you waste your silly human life just because it goes with your moral obligations. That is such a pudding brain thing to do, honestly.”

Clara stared in utter confusion at what had just come out of the Doctors mouth. ‘Valuable to Gallifrey… Pudding brain?’

“Excuse me for wondering Doctor, but what makes you think that I would ever stay here?” Clara finished with a grin, thinking that she had outsmarted him cause there was no way that she would choose staying here.

She was confident, but the clever look in his eye told her that she was so wrong.

“That’s where you are faulty, Clara Oswald. You thought I would let you choose, well I am not a good man and this is, as you put it, ‘the mafia’, so you don’t get a choice.” As the Doctor continued Clara’s smile fell and dread started to seep into her bones.

“You will be a nice addition to the Faction, you will be trained, more specifically than you were before, you will complete objectives given to you. Also, you will never leave.”

Clara felt anger, anger beyond all reasoning. “You can’t do that!”

“I can and I did.” The Doctor answered in a gruff voice. He didn’t seem to understand what he was dealing with, she thought. “I completely understand what I am dealing with, Miss. Oswald. And don’t ask why I knew what you were thinking, I call it intuition others call it telepathy- it just is what it is.”

The Doctor started to walk around the room, around the couches and beside a chalkboard. He moved the chalkboard to reveal what looked like a big computer hub. Screens that glowed with weird circles swirling on them, buttons and switches laid at the base of the displays.

“I know who you are Clara: a want-to-be school teacher fresh out of University, trying to find her place in the world- whether it be with a job or a man. I know about you childhood and the past, your mother’s death, and father's job.”

“H-how…”

“My people found things out during the meeting.” He walked back to Clara now, standing right in front of her. “ What I am trying to say is that there is no way to escape this. If you try to leave, I will hunt you down and possibly your family. If you step out of line, there will be consequences. If you try to disobey and not listen to orders… you will wish that the companions finished you back on the street.”

Clara couldn’t breathe. She tried to not let the tears pool in her eyes; she definitely could not let them fall. Why was this devil of a man so wretched and heartless?

“Why are you doing this? Why me-” her voice cracked against her wishes on the last word. She didn’t want to do this, wasn’t this illegal? But they are a gang… oh, how did this all happen?

“Because you have interfered with my work and you have interested me.”

“Interfered- Interest...! That is no reason to kidnap me!” Clara fumed with rage, not caring about tears or her dignity. She was mad and hurt and extremely scared. She turned away from the Doctor and went to the door. She tugged on it with all her might but it would not budge, she shook them vigorously but nothing happened. She banging and slamming her fists against it but nothing… she puffed out a sob and heard a small choke of a laugh from behind her.

“Nothing can get through those doors whether it be trying to get in or out.” Clara sagged against the blue doors that blocked her from freedom and safety.

She gave up.

She let the tears run down, sobs escaping her lips as she gave into the man who now controlled her.

“What are you going to do to me?” She said, broken.

“As I had said before, you will be made into a companion, given to one of the doctors and you will help us to achieve the Gallifrey Factions true goal. You will learn to enjoy it here at T.A.R.D.I.S. and everything will get easier eventually. Now this little session is over and you will be escorted to your new chambers, but before that you- need to say that you will join the Gallifrey Faction and become a companion.” He looked her right in the eyes. She wanted to stand, to show him that no matter how he knocked her down, she would get back up. She straightened her shoulders and stood up tall, meeting his gaze and matching his tone.

“I will join the Gallifrey Faction and become a companion.” She said, sealing her fate in what she thought she was going to be the worse decision of her life...

.. but little did she know, it would actually be one of the best.

 


	6. Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHH, its been tooooooo long- and I am so sorry. I am posting this late at night (well late for me anyway) so I will recheck and correct this chapter tomorrow. I have posted something else so if you would like to read it by all means...  
> I hope you like this, I loved writing this and I hope you see why(;
> 
> (PS: Leave comments -issues -love - hate -questions)

Chapter 6 **- _Questions_**

 

 Clara walked along the corridors, people passed her – some taking notice and others not. There was one guard who was escorting her to her room.

_More like cell…_

After they walked around two corners, they slowed down and turned to a door.

“This will be your room.” Clara looked at the simple door, _Number 12._ “ We are going back to the cell now,” the guard said.

“What, why. I did what you said! I accepted, signed an agreement with the devil- what more do you want!”

The guard didn’t listen to Clara’s yelling. She knew that her resistance was futile, but she needed answers. When they got back to the cell after walking through the countless hallways again, Clara saw that someone was already in there.

“Here you go Captain, she’s all yours.” The man looked up from the file in front of him and a grin sprouted on his face.

“Delightful,” His smooth voice and the sparkle in his eye threw Clara off, “Come on Clars, sit down.” The guard left the room and they were alone. 

Clara looked at the chair that the man’s hand had gestured too and she hesitantly approached it.

“Don’t worry, I took the cuffs off- I am saving those for later,” He said with a wink. Clara gawked at the man and the remark.

“Excuse me?” Clara said in disbelief.

The man huffed a laugh and stood, offering his hand to her. “Sorry, we don’t get visitors much, the name is Jack Harkness- well Captain Jack Harkness and you are…?” He winked and left the sentence open. “I am just kidding.” Clara shook his hand and sat down with the strange yet compelling man in front of her.

“I am sorry but why are you- how are you-“

“What, how am I so handsome and charming when all those other people are scoundrels- or why am I the only beautiful sight in the sea of your life- I don’t know, you tell me.” He smiled and wiggled his eyebrow while resting his chin on the hand of his bent arm.

Clara didn’t know how to respond to that. She was shocked, to say the least. 

“Come on Clars, I am joking. But no seriously, why am I so different? Well because I believe that not everything has to be dark and sour, even If the Doctor’s brooding casts a shadow on everything light sometimes. I swear that man needs a facelift cause of all that frowning.”

Clara let a smirk break through and she was glad she did. Jack's face lit up like he had just won the gold. 

“I know other ways to keep that smirk on your face, bet I could even make it bigger. Okay, okay- seriously.  I need to talk business. We need to go over some basic rules.”

 Clara felt some of her nervousness leave her as Jack kept talking. He told her about the layout of the facilities and what the basic necessities are in TARDIS. Clara interrupted him “TARDIS? What does that mean exactly…”

“The Acquired Residence For Detained Insurgents Sector,” Clara stared at him with a plain expression. ”Yeah, I know- the Doctor thought of it. I personally think we should call it _the love shack._ It rolls off the tongue nice- leaves a bitter taste in your mouth if you know what I mean." 

Clara couldn’t hold back her laugh. She let her feelings out through it. She felt her laughter boil through her and with it, her anguish and sadness. She felt a sob escape and mingle itself with her lessening laugh. She saw Jacks face fall as a small tear slid down her cheek. Clara couldn’t stand the pity that she saw in his eyes, she closed hers and felt more tears fall. She heard a screech of metal and a shadow move over her.

“Come here Clara,” Jack said gently.

 Clara looked up and couldn’t resist his open arms. She stood and fell into the arms and let herself cry. She felt comfortable with Jack somehow.

“Shhh, I know- I know. It will be hard in the beginning but you get used to it. Not all we do is bad- actually, we do a lot of good.” Jack pushed Clara away some, trying to get her to look at him by ducking his head and making eye contact. “We try to help this city, people have made it worse and we are bringing it back. Some people come here seeking solace while others don’t get that option- but in the end, we come together as a family. We are all companions, helping, saving and changing this city for the better.”

Clara felt her sobs quiet and her tears stop. She didn’t know that Gallifrey Faction was helping people.

' _That shouldn’t matter! You were kidnaped and now your life is threatened’_

The door opened and a woman stepped through the door.

“Hello Jack, I am here to take Clara to her room.” The women said.

“Yes, okay Martha.” Jack returned his gaze to her and Clara could see the emotion in his eyes. “We will talk later Clara, don’t worry- you can't get rid of me that easy.” He grinned wickedly and she couldn’t help but smile back.

“You smile now, but someday you will want to hang him by that smirk of his." Martha said with a smirk.  

“Oh come on Jones, you know how much I love making Mickey uncomfortable by talking about your sex life.”

And with that, Martha and Clara were walking out of the room leaving Jack back in the cell rubbing the side of his arm. He grumbled about not needing to punch so hard but most of the mumbled sentence was lost.

The two women walked back to the room in silence, Clara glancing ever so often at Martha.

“Will I have a guard where ever I go?”

“No, the Doctor just sent me to take you here- don’t ask me why. You don’t really ask questions when the Doctor tells you to do things.”

“I can tell.” Clara sighed.

Martha stopped in front of room 12, opening the door for Clara. “Here is your room. You will be provided supplies but not until tomorrow. You have sheets, soap and one pair of clothes on the bed.”

“Can I get my personal things? I have some so can’t I retrieve them!” Clara asked. She liked Martha and Jack, but these people were still missing the point!

“I will talk to the Doctor for you, I can maybe pull some strings while I am out on duty,” Martha said with empathy. “Goodnight Clara, and … don’t worry- it will be okay.” Martha walked down the hallway and turned the corner, leaving Clara to herself. She closed her door, shutting out the world she wished was a dream. _More like a nightmare._


	7. The Unknown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a long, long, long, long time since I have updated. Life has been busy and preparing for college has been interesting. Finals are soon so... whoo hoo! 
> 
> I hope you like this chapter- the plot train is boarding now...

* * *

 Chapter 7 -  _ **The Unkown**_

 

  Clara awoke to a pounding at her door. She jolted and fell out of her bed from the harsh movement. She braced herself with her arms and groaned when she landed, hard, against the cold surface. Rolling over onto her back, she sighed and closed her eyes, trying to imagine that her life wasn’t that bad.

_Who am I kidding…_

Clara felt herself start to get worked up but she pushed the feeling away, glaring at the ceiling. She was alive, Clara reminded herself, but seeing the positive in that was becoming difficult. She was knocked out of her thoughts and sat up when she heard the pounding again and this time the door opened. Jack stood in the doorway, a sly smile blooming across his face as he took in the sight in front of him.

“Do you want me to come back later or do you want to explain your wild night.” Clara groaned a fell back down on her blankets, arm coming across her face to try and block out Jacks presence.

“Come on Love, upsie-daisy,” Jack said as he walked up to the small woman on the ground, “Morning workouts are waiting.” He pulled the blankets out from under Clara but she was tangled up in them and landed face first on the ground.

“Jack!”

She jumped up and stared murderously at the man in question. His smile melted from his face but the glint in his eye was still shining.

“I didn’t mean to do that,” he pleaded while slowly backing up towards the door, “I just wanted to get you ready for training in 15 minutes.” Clara glared at him and started to walk forward. Jack took this as a sign be worried, he held up the blanket, covering his face and shrinking behind it seeking protection. Clara picked up the pillow on the mattress next to her and launched herself at Jack. The blanket that the man was holding was no match to her whipping the pillow at him.

“Ouch, Clara! Clara, stop-“ But Jack’s plea’s fell on deaf ears as the short brunette continued her assault with the cotton bludgeon. She whacked at his arms and chest, making him lower the blanket in defense but that left his face available for a cushioned beating.

With a quick flourish of his arms, Jack wrapped the blanket around Clara’s body, restricting her arms up against her body. He grabbed the pillow and spun her so that her back slammed into his chest.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish Clara,” Jack said against her ear, they both were panting from the recent fighting, “although I like the foreplay, we have training to get too.”

And with that, Jack twisted her body and lightly pushed it towards the bed allowing her to collapse in a still cocooned state onto the mattress. He laughed at the groan that emerged from the tangled mess.

“Get dressed sweet cheeks.”

**_~ 30 Minutes Later ~_ **

Clara followed Jack to the Training room. She saw that no one was maneuvering in the hallways while they were walking. She watched closely to the turns they made and rooms they passed, she would need to know them someday. Clara could tell when they were close to their destination because of the yells and loud noises coming from the stairs below. As they descended them, the sight of men and women fighting came into view. The giant room that housed this racket was covered in a training mat at their feet. Groups of people gathered in different places around the room and were doing various training and workouts from the looks of it.

“Ah, home sweet home,” Jack said from beside her. He took a big sniff and winced, “Maybe it should be called 'sweat home' instead of sweet home.”

Jack walked ahead of Clara, heading towards a man who was stationed in the center of the mat. Jack called out his name, trying to draw his attention.

“Danny!”

The darker skinned man turned around turned around, questioning who called him but his face broke into a smile when he saw who shouted.

“Jack, good to see you!” The two men met up, shook hands and wrapped an arm around the others shoulders- looking like long time friends meeting up for a brew. Jack said something that Clara couldn’t make out but whatever it was, Danny erupted with laughter.

“Daniel Pink, I would like you to meet Miss. Clara Oswald the newest companion.” Jack beamed at her and she saw a dazed expression on the other man’s face. It made her double take. This man who seemed so confident and sure now looked like a nervous schoolboy seeing his crush for the first time.

_Oh_

“Now don’t you worry Danny, she’s already a fighter so you won't need to do much to light her spark if you know what I mean.” Jack chuckled to himself but quieted as he noticed the growing tension. Danny was staring at her and Clara couldn’t make herself look away. “Uh, guys- if you wanted the room I can clear it by saying I am giving free massages in the break room. If you wanted them out in less than a minute, I can say I am giving them naked…” Jack tried to break the spell but he felt his ministrations were futile.

“Hello, Miss. Oswald.” Danny straightened and answered formally. Clara could feel a smile start to peak through and tried to dampen it but it was too late.

“Hello, Mr. Pink” she replied.

After the awkward meeting, Jack and Danny showed Clara around the facilities. She was very surprised with the tour; everything was state-of-the-art and clean as a whistle. The layout of the level was quite efficient as well. To the left of the stairs, was the Training room, while to the right was a hallway that leads to the weight room, armory, and tactical arena. The showers and locker rooms were subsidiaries of the Training room. The weight room and training area were equipped with machines, somehow both state of the art and medieval looking. Weapons of every caliber and high-tech gadgets filled walls of the tactical arena, just begging to be used.

“Now the armory is closed off to training exercises, those are only for missions.” Jack explained to Clara, but a sly smile spread across his face, “but I must retrieve something… I am sure you can have a peak.”

Danny, who had been silently trailing behind Jack and Clara for the tour so far, stepped forward and cautiously touched Jack’s shoulder. “I don’t think she should.” But the man shrugged off Danny’s warning, pressing the button to open the door. A loud hiss erupted from opening the locks and Clara took a step back, a sliver of fear creeping up her spine. Jack motioned for her to follow him once the door was unsealed, allowing them entrance. Clara looked at Danny, almost as if asking if it was safe. The soldier nodded and gestured for her to proceed.

The room was dim, numerous shelves and boxes casting shadows upon every corner where the ceiling light wouldn’t reach. Clara saw Jack ahead and quickened her pace to catch up.

“We like to call it the Black Archive. It’s full of old weapons and things deemed too dangerous for public use. Have a look around.” Clara could feel her heart quicken, fear rising within her veins. She slowly turned and looked upon the shadowed objects, which filled shelves and tables. As she crept closer, she noticed the old browning’s and rifles arranged on stands. Boxes full of contraptions that looked like they would explode upon touch.

The sparse space lit by light relieved a table, which held two boxes with orient design on them. One was blue while the other, red. Not far from that was a stand with a tarp draped over it. I had a rectangular silhouette, hiding the secrets beneath it from wondering eyes.

Clara slowly approached the mysterious object, raising her hand to remove the covering. With a slight tug, the cover slipped from the edges and languidly fell to the floor. Clara stared in awe at the treasure in front of her. Her brow crinkled in curiosity and amazement at the beautiful yet haunting enigma in front of her.

“There was a cover on that for a reason, Miss Oswald,” Danny spoke from behind her. Clara turned, started by the man’s interruption, soon Jack appeared and gazed upon the sight behind her. “I see you found some of the Doctor’s things,” Jack said, his eyes trailing over it. “Do you know what that is?”

She shook her head and returned her gaze to the unsettling frame .

“The Doctor… he draws and sketches a lot, you’ll see him with a notepad and pencil almost everywhere he goes. Usually, it’s because he is bored and uses it as a way to pass the time, but sometimes- it is because he found something worth his time, worth his attention and art. It maybe a setting or a person, a woman who has caught his eye, but this…” he paused, his face drawing in on itself into a forlorn expression, “this is a moment. A memory that has weighed on his consciousness for a very long time….This is a painting of when Gallifrey fell.”

Clara’s eyes ran over the various oranges and reds, painted across a once blank canvass, now weighed down by the colors of war and conflict. The cacophony of harsh colors and masterful brushstrokes depicted and battle full of bloodshed and death. The pain that she felt piece her heart reverberated from the painting, affixing itself to her memory making sure she could never forget its bitter presence. Jack laid a hand on Clara's shoulder, turning her from the painting and guided her towards the entrance, “I think that it’s time to go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey...
> 
> ... thank you for reading this, truly(:


	8. Home?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aak- tell me I am a terrible person. I am sorry for being a horrible updater, if you're reading this, I apologize.

Chapter 8 **- _Home?_**

 

The first few days of training were hell. There was no other way to describe it. Clara and Danny had grown closer as friends but when it came time for him to train her, she got _no_ sympathy from him. Jack had assigned her 3 weeks of intensive training to get her “ready for the real world” as he liked to put it.

8 hours of conditioning, endurance building and martial arts class turned into Clara’s life. She couldn’t wait for tactical training to replace endurance building, maybe she could repay Jack and test her “real world” training. Every night she would scarf down her meal while making slight conversation with Amy, Rory, and Martha then fall into her bed and having a fitful night of sleep, only to be woken up and repeating the process all over again. Often Mickey and Rose would join their dinner chat while Donna, a fiery red-headed woman, was becoming more of a regular. They talked about the missions they had just come back from and retold old adventures like war stories around a campfire. They would laugh and giggle, happy to be smiling again, making each other’s nights more enjoyable. At the end of their meal, they would usually bid her goodnight, knowing full well of how tired she was. 

“Hey, when your training settles down, you can join us after mess and hang out if you would like.” Amy said once after a meal of delightful storytelling, “we usually get together and talk or share a pint or two. Those are the times when the stories get juicy and secret sharing is a common practice.”

Clara was glad that she was finally making friends and fitting in with her fellow companions. She still dreadfully missed her home and her life that was brutally taken from her. She had run into the Doctor a few times, though. He would usually give her a glare and snarky comment while she would dish one right back at him. Most of the time it wouldn’t go beyond that except for that one time. Their bickering became heated and blown out causing all around them to turn and watch. After that whispers constantly circled Clara, she wasn’t if they were rumors or just backhanded comments- but she was getting tired of it. Besides that, her stay at TARDIS hasn’t been the worst. Martha had followed through with her promise so now she had her belonging from her hotel room. She isn’t sure how they got them but Clara was just happy she had them again.

“Thanks, guys but I think my training would kill me before Danny deems it _complete_.” Amy and the other guys chuckled and nodded, again they bid her goodnight and walked out of the room laughing and talking to one another. Clara walked alone back to her room. She started to imagine what her father was thinking right now- if he would be worried about her. Her phone was taken when she first arrived-  she assumed they took it because it’s not in her personal belongings. Her thoughts were interrupted abruptly when she slammed into a hard surface. Clara let out a yelp and started to fall backwards, her balance nonexistent. She reached out her arms, trying to grab hold of a ledge but then closed her eyes, preparing for an impact but it never happened.

She felt a tight grasp on her upper arms.

Her eyes snap opened and focused on the tall grey haired man in front of her. His face was etched with the look of concern and anxiety but it was soon disregarded when his mask fell back into place. 

“Are you normally so intrusive, Miss. Oswald? Oh, wait…”  His gruff voice filled with annoyance and disdain. 

Clara tried to form sentences to defend herself, telling him that it was him who ran into her but no words were forming in her mind. She was too startled by that gruff voice, untamed silver locks and a full-grown beard that layered his face.

“If you can’t complete the mundane tasks of watching where you are going and simple speaking skills, why do we keep you around?”

Just then Donna came up from behind the Doctor, laughing with Jack. They were oblivious to the confrontation going on before them until Jack looked up and made eye contact with Clara.

“Oh hello you too! You’re not still holding grudges are you? I swear you’re as bad as an old married couple.”

Donna turned to Jack with a look of disbelieving but her mischievous grin showed that she knew exactly what he was doing. The Doctor’s mouth just opened and closed, not speaking or… doing much of anything really. Clara couldn’t stop the smile that slipped her defenses; Jack had successfully shut the Doctor up.

“Old marry couple?” Clara laughed out, “I know that he’s got the ‘old’ part down but I don’t think anyone would want to marry him, let alone be a couple. He is too rude and cantankerous plus, you would never be able to please him.”

Donna and Jack both looked at each other and burst out laughing.  

The Doctor ignored their laughter and turned towards her, “You’re right Miss. Oswald, it takes a special kind of woman to successfully please me. But trust me when I say this- I have _no_ problem when it comes to pleasing them.” 

And with that, the Doctor left with a cocky smirk and a wink of his eye. Clara gawked at his back in disbelief. “The _audacity_ of that man! I mean- agh!” Clara shouted and stormed down the hall.

Jack and Donna looked at each other again and broke down laughing or- well that’s what Clara envisioned when she heard their cackling down the hallway. “Agh!” she yelled again.

“By the goddess, why are you shouting Miss. Clara?” Her attention was momentarily drawn to the skinny green clothed women coming towards her.

“How can you stand that Scottish stick insect?” she yelled.

“I am inferring that the ‘Scottish… stick insect’ is the Doctor?” Vastra smiled as she watched Clara narrow her eyes and shift her jaw. “My dear,” she paused, “working with the Doctor takes a certain kind of patience and tolerance. It may take you a bit to work out your differences but soon, you will comprehend his ministrations. Don’t let his prickly attitude get to you either, he enjoys getting people riled up and off kilter- your ‘huffing and puffing’ is certainly not helping your case.” 

Clara sensed a touch of condescending in Vastra’s tone but she supposed she did deserve it. The women ahead of her nodded her head in acknowledgement of salutations and continued down the hall.

After Clara made her way back to her bunk she got ready for bed. She changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt after brushing her teeth and combing out her hair. She walked to her bookshelf in the corner and grabbed _Pride and Prejudice_. Clara remembered being summoned to her room a few days after arriving at TARDIS. She was greeted with the sight of cardboard on her bed and floor. Martha had followed through with her promise and brought boxes of her belongings.

“Keepsakes are in one box, random necessities are in another and those three are all full of books. I noticed the abundance of them so I grabbed your bookshelf as well.” Martha walked towards one of the boxes and pulled back the flaps. Clara gasped as she gazed at her grandmother's quilt. Seren had made it for her after her Clara’s mother died, she took it everywhere she went.

“Oh Martha, thank you so much. You have no idea- how can I ever repay you.” 

Martha smiled and let go of the box to in turn take hold of Clara’s hands. “You don’t need to do anything Clara. But- I might ask one thing, please give us a chance. TARDIS is not that bad once you get used to it. Just remember, others have been in the exact same position that you’re in now.”

She watched the dark woman walk to the door but she turned around at the last moment.

“Fair warning, the building may feel like it’s alive sometimes. I know it sounds odd but don’t fret too much, weird things just happen sometimes,” and with that, Martha Jones walked out her door.

Clara climbed into bed and resumed her reading at her last stopping point, reading over the lines but not retaining them. For some reason, her thoughts were consumed by the Doctor. She groaned and threw her book down on the bed. 

“Even when he’s not in the room he is a pain in my ass! 

Clara huffed and put the book on the nightstand and turned out the lights. Maybe sleeping would good, after a long day some shut-eye would do wonders. After crawling under the covers and adjusting her pillow, Clara closed her eye’s . But even the peace in her slumber was interrupted as moments of this evening replayed through her mind.

_'That man and his ungodly accent, his stupid grey curls and lean form.'_

Her eye’s snapped open and she bolted upright.

‘ _No- NO! The Doctor is not any of that! He is- he’s insufferable and an incorrigible ass… I do think that- I will not think that he is anything else!’_

Clara couldn’t believe what thoughts were running rampant in her mind. “Fine, start reviewing stances.” And with that, Clara feel asleep going over fighting technique and positions, but in the back of her mind lie a wisp of uneasiness and relentlessness with only one thought.

**_Doctor_ **


	9. The Beginning or The End?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have had a few days available for writing- but I don't think it will be a common occurrence. I am actually avoiding doing my first English paper for college at the moment so shame on me... but good for you!
> 
> ps: This chapter may seem a little forced but I hope to even it out in the chapter after this one and explain why what happened... happened (I also thought they deserved to have some fun... or angst)

* * *

 

Chapter 9- ** _The Beginning or The End?_**

As the weeks of training continued to drag on, the tensions at TARDIS seemed to rise. Disturbances around the city had increased, causing more missions and outings for the Doctors and their Companions. Report after report filled the console room during the meetings only to be occupied with more accounts when they reconvened. The stress was present on the Doctor. The lines on his face seemed deeper and multiplying, his eye’s a constant steel color. He didn’t even bother bantering with Clara anymore.

“This is bantering. I am totally against bantering.”

Clara almost missed their hallway confrontations, it had actually become the highlight of her day.

‘ _When had that happen’_

Otherwise, she had been having a better time at TARDIS. Her intense training sessions with Danny had come to an end and now she moved on to Jack. After her and Danny’s last practice, he asked her if she would sit with him during dinner. Clara didn’t want to leave her usual table so she invited him over with her and everyone had got along fantastical. They had gained more people that they moved to a bigger table! Now it was Amy, Rory, Eleven, Donna, Mickey and Martha, Ten, Rose, Jack and their Doctor.

They looked like they were having a little powwow.

Due to training being less soul-draining, Clara had more time to herself. She started to wonder around, check out different rooms that she hadn’t noticed before and talk to people she’d never saw before. Once she even found a pool! But her best find was only accessible through a small door. It was a garden like area just outside of the building. It was a greenery, lush with vegetation and natural growth. It seemed well kept and groomed by someone with great care and admiration for nature.

“Clara, Amy and Rory are having drinks back in their bunk, you want to come?”

Clara nodded towards Donna, eager to continue their conversations and laughs. She trailed behind the gang, talking to Donna and Martha about what they had done before they going TARDIS.

“I was nurse training to become a doctor, that’s was actually how I met Ten. He was my first patient in my nursing program. He wasn’t really banged up but he was actually trying to get on the inside to complete a mission. Somehow I got dragged in and I learned too much.” Martha shrugged and her forehead creased but slowly a smile spread across her face. “But you know what, I don’t regret it. I got to eventually complete my training thanks to TARDIS and with no cost- more medical technicians were needed so they put me through school.”

Clara remembered how offended Martha had gotten when she complained about TARDIS. Now she understood the whole picture but she still wondered about one thing.

“So what is with you and Mickey?”

Martha threw her head back and laughed. “Oh well, that is not too long of a story. Mickey was here when I got recruited, working with Rose and Nine but he didn’t really like it here. He was assigned to me to show me around and check out my prospects. Soon we became friends and then, well…” Her sentence wore thin as a radiant smile took the place of her words. Clara nodded and smiled back, knowing that Martha and Mickey were a happy couple whose duo missions where always one for the books.

Clara turned at the sound of Donna sitting down right beside her. She had fierily red hair and a mountain of sass for a personality but she was a gas to be around. I was very amusing to catch arguments between the Doctor and her, to watch Donna turn him into a scared little boy getting yelled at by his mother.

“How about you, Donna”

The woman looked confused and tilted her head, “How about what?”

“Your origin story?”

“Oh!” and with that, she lit up and grinned, “now that is a long story.” Donna began to spin a tale of how she also met Ten, which happened to be on the day of her wedding. Martha and Clara laughed along with the exciting account and could help but find Donna a little bit more endearing.

Soon everyone came together and they passed around drinks. Apparently, if you have a spouse at TARDIS you get better rooms, suites almost. Amy and Rory were laughing and entertaining their guests quite well until a knock was heard at the door.

Amy replied that she would get it while Clara, Martha, and Donna sat back down. When the door opened to a tall shadowed figure with a gruff voice, everyone turned to observe.

“Oswald” he said, his face held no emotion and his eyes were void of their normal gleam. Clara looked at Donna and Martha skeptically but they only shrugged and gestured to follow him. So she arose from her seat and walked towards the Doctor but before she could ask him anything he turned and walked into the hallway. She assumed that he wanted her to follow him. He ended up walking her to his quarters. Clara’s mind filled with the memories of when she was last in here, the yelling, all the pain and tears but she pushed away those thoughts and tried to focus on the man in front of her.

Clara looked at the Doctor, really looked at him. She noticed that his hair was a little messier than usual like he had been running his hands through it. The bags under his eyes and the creases on his face looked deeper than normal. Something was up.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked. The Doctor didn’t seem to have heard her, his gazed remained on the floor below. After Clara called to him, his eye’s snapped up and he looked confused.

“Did you say something?”

“Yes! I asked if I did something wrong. What’s with you…”

“No! Nothing, I am… fine,” he said unconvincingly, “I just wanted to ask you something. Now when I ask you this you don’t have to answer right away, I mean- I do need an answer now but your reply doesn’t have to be instantaneous! I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything, if you’re unprepared or not ready that is perfectly fine. Just say no and it can be worked out-”

“Doctor! Why don’t you tell me what it I first before you start assuming what I am going to say? You still haven’t told me what it is you are going on about.”

The Doctor nodded and took a deep breath, closing his eye’s and trying to calm himself down. Now he was scaring her.

“Okay, just remember that you can say ‘no’,” he stressed the last part of the sentence. Clara nodded in return.

“I would like to put you on a mission.”

Clara waited.

“Is that all?”

The Doctor’s eyes widen and his mouth was opening and closing like a fish. He attempted to speak but nothing understandable came forth.

“I- uh… I thought you wouldn’t be ready or something!”

Clara looked back and forth, a confused but amused look came across her features. She huffed out a laugh and rubbed her face with her hands.

“Doctor, I appreciate the caution and I’m a tad but bothered by your skepticism but I can handle myself out in the field. I have been training for weeks already and I am tired of sitting around.”

He nodded a silent confirmation and pursed his lips, he looked unsure but after a few minutes of awkward quietness, he finally spoke his mind.

“I don’t want you to rush into things, Ms. Oswald-”

“Oh, we’re back to ‘Ms. Oswald’ now?” she sassed. Clara felt defensive regarding his comment. She could take care of herself and after all that he has done, he has no place in saying what she could or could not do! The Doctor sucked in a breath through his nose and his tongue peeked out from between his lips.

“I just meant-”

“You just meant what? That I couldn’t get the job done, that I wasn’t ready after being put through hellish training and constant instruction? What makes you think that you can say what I can do! You have no right and you certainly have not position to be concerned for my wellbeing. You have given me nothing but sass and trouble since your ass locked me in here. I am tired of your games Doctor!”

Clara was fuming by the time she was done. She watched as he took a small step back and his face turn expressionless, but his eye’s told a different story. They were filled with fear but also a spark of … something. His pupils dilated but she assumed that it was from the verbal lashing she just gave him. Maybe she scared him or knocked him down a peg. Good.

“I am going on the mission Doctor.” Clara stated firmly while staring him down. She turned to leave as he was saying her name but she didn’t turn back to face him. Before she could leave the dark shadowy room he pulled on her wrist and spun her back around to face him. Now she was beyond pissed.

“What do you think you’re doin-“

But her sentence was cut off by a pair of lips smashing themselves against hers. She gasped in shock, her eye’s wide and her vision filled with the face of the Doctor. She wanted to push him away, fight him and smack him! … but she couldn’t. She fell into the kiss and felt her eye’s fall shut. Her brain screamed for her to stop, trying to use logic to halt her actions but Clara didn’t budge. She couldn’t remove herself from those soft lips that had reapplied themselves after sucking in a breath. She kissed him back and soon opened her mouth to him, letting his tongue glide over hers to deepen the kiss.

_‘STOP’_

Clara finally listened to her inner monolog and yanked herself away. She felt hand release her waist and her arms fall from his shoulders. _‘When had that happened?’_

“I should go.” She sputtered out while trying to gasp for air to fill her lungs. She dashed from the room but she thought her legs couldn’t take her away fast enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pss: this chapter is dedicated to the wonderful YOLO1882- without her, this wouldn't have be done yet (:


	10. Eventually

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow... crazy first semester of college...   
> Hopefully I should get out another chapter by Christmas!!

Chapter 10- _**Eventually**_

The Doctor’s life was a mess; TARDIS was constantly sending out doctors with their companions, they barely had time to recuperate! The Daleks and Cyberman were always causing trouble within their sectors, but now others were starting to up rise and make their selves know. Eleven, Amy, and Rory have been having a hell of a time with a group called the Silence while Ten, Martha and Donna were busy facing the Weeping Angles. They even started recruited more and more people, either because of attacks or volunteers. Whatever was causing the increase in vigilantes needed to stop, but to do that, they needed help.

The Doctor hated calling in reinforcements, he didn’t need help. TARDIS could fend for themselves and come out victorious, but he knew that victory was looking a little far-fetched at the moment.

He sighed and closed his eyes as he pressed ‘dial’ on his phone screen. He slowly brought the phone to his ear and squeezed his eyes tighter as the ringing commenced through the phone.

“I’m must say, I’m not surprised you are calling me.” A female voice spoke after connecting the call.

“So you know how bad things have gotten?” The Doctor responded gruffly as a sliver of malice and sarcasm slipping through this tone.

“You know that it is my job to observe all that goes on, Doctor. Why act surprised?” He could hear her smile as she spoke those words and he couldn’t resist letting a smirk through himself.

“I was trying to start a conversation and not immediately dive right into business. These pudding brains must be rubbing off on me.”

“So let’s get down to business then.” The woman’s tone was now clipped and business-like, letting nothing other than authority through. “I am guessing you require my help, correct?”

The Doctor released growled, “Well this isn’t a social call.”

A sigh could be heard coming from the other line, not out of anguish or frustration but of exasperation for the Doctor’s sarcasm. It was probably accompanied by an eye roll.

“Okay then, here is what we shall do…”

><><><><><

Clara stared at the ceiling, her gaze empty yet her mind racing with a clutter of emotions and information. It had been a week since the Doctor and her talked, a week since he underestimated her abilities, a week since…

Clara rolled over a pulled her pillow over her head, her face smashed into the soft mattress. It’s not that she didn’t want to remember it, quite the opposite actually. She replayed and reimagined the moment over and over again for the past 7 days. No, it was that she didn’t want to think about the emotions or feelings that followed. Clara knew that the Doctor was a complicated man and the relationship between them was even more complicated. As she thought about the events leading up, Clara noticed how most of their interactions could be labeled as foreplay, not that she knew that at the time! All she was doing was defending herself and… possibly egging him on when she could. Clara smiled as she imagined how expressive he would get when she would make a remark about him, especially those eyebrows.

No! Clara stops it.

She let out a groan as she heard a knock at the door. She threw the pillow at it and moaned.

“Go away…”

Apparently, the knock took that as a sign to come in because the door opened and revealed a tall man.

“There’s a meeting in 10 minutes Clar’s” Jacks' voice filled the space. He looked down upon the mangled heap that was Clara and her bedspread and plopped on the bed beside her. “Come on girlfriend, time to be assigned your first field experience.”

Clara sighed and turned her head to meet Jack’s gaze, “You don’t know that Jack.”

“Ah, but I do my dear. You’ve been training for a while now, almost as good as me and Danny! The Doctor would be daft not to put you in a squad yet.” A mumble could be heard from beside him, “What was that?”

“I said the Doctor asked me about going into the field but that conversation didn’t end well.”

“What do you mean?” Jack questioned his eye’s narrowing and searching her face for an answer.

“It doesn’t matter anymore, come on.” Clara detangled herself from the covers and sprung from the bed to get her shoes. Jack remained on the bed looking at her suspiciously and inquisitively as if assessing her every move.

“Does this have anything to do with how weird you’ve been acting this week?”

“What? No! I mean, I haven’t been acting weird this week.” Clara defended as she closed her sock drawer.

“Really Clara, you called Mickey ‘Ricky” repeatedly, said that Rory could be a Roman- and I quote ‘You could be a centurion with that nose’ and you watch the door nonstop during meals as if looking for someone. Seriously, you have been strange all week, so what’s up?”

“I suppose that I have been odd lately,” Clara landed on the be beside Jack and started to tie her shoes, “I guess you have the right to know, I mean you are pretty much my best friend here.”

Jack beamed and threw his arm around her shoulders, “Aw thanks, Clara, it’s cause I’m so irresistible.” Clara laughed and shoved his arm off so she could finish.

“That doesn’t even make sense but anyway, during Amy and Rory’s get together last week, the Doctor came and talked to me; we went out into the hallway but he took us to his wing. I was very confused and he wouldn’t talk the entire way, that was until we got to the main room- you know the one with all the round things- and he just stopped.” Clara paused and Jack motioned for her to go on.

“He was really skittish at first until I yelled at him to spit it out, then he said he wanted to put me on a mission.”

“That’s it?”

“No… actually that’s what I said to him, then he got all defensive and closed off, but I quickly made myself know and my ability to start reconnaissance and field work. When I started to leave, he yelled for me to come back but I ignored him, then he grabbed my wrist and…” Clara sucked in a breath and cut off her sentence.

“He grabbed your wrist and what? Did he hurt you? Oh god- Clara did he hurt you?! I swear the Doctor is not a violent man, he may seem harsh and scary but he would never-“

“No, Jack no he didn’t hurt me, actually… well- he kissed me.”

Jack’s babbling halted abruptly and he just looked at her. He blinked a few times, and you could see his thoughts running a million miles a minute, backtracking from the possible violent scene to one of confusion and, well… kissing. Clara watched as his face turned from blank to astonished. Soon he was beaming brighter than before, looking like a five-year-old on Christmas day.

“Jack before you even-”

“Even what? Freak out! Be happy? Ask you why it took over a week to tell me this?!”

“Jack, just let me explain-”

“Explain? Explain what! That you and the Doctor are apparently snogging an off canoodling somewhere while we are fighting all the bad guys? How long has this been going on?” Jack’s voice was reaching higher and higher levels, quickly becoming hysterical until he stoped and gasped. His eyes grew in size, widening like he was just struck with an epiphany of brilliance.

“All that arguing has been foreplay and you’ve both just been playing us all along!” Jack shouted at Clara. Just then he jumped off the bed and bolted for the door. Clara knew she had to stop him before his wild fantasy filled imagination spread around like wildfire. Clara zipped around Jack and slammed herself against the door, locking it and effectively block his means of escape.

“Jack you need to stop and listen to me!”

“I think I’ve heard enough girly girl.”

He tried to reach for the door handle, but she grabbed his hand and twisted it at his wrist. She learned this move in training, even though it normally wouldn’t be very effective on others with high skill, she knew that is she caught Jack by surprise she might be able to bring him to his knees. With practiced easy, Jack went down, effectively caught off guard as Clara was able to lock him in a hold that restricted his movement.

“Are you going to listen to me now?”

Clara slowly asked the wheezing man on the ground, tightening the hold momentarily to stress her question.  
  
“Agh- yes Clara, I got it. Now if you would," he cleared his throat," um please release… me”

Clara hummed in approval and liberated him, watching as he collapsed onto the carpeted floor below; she followed suit and sat cross-legged next to her friend.

“Okay, I shall make this quick since we don’t have a lot of time,” Clara held up her hand as Jack tried to protests, “We can go more in depth later and talk about it to your heart's content, but right now we only have so much time.”

Jack looked defeated but nodded and turned to listen intently to her story.

“So I think it started when we would fight in the hallways…”

><><><><><><

Jack and Clara secretly slipped into the back of the console room, arriving a few minutes late due to Jack not letting them leave until she answered all his questions. She discreetly sat in her chair next to Jenny and Vastra, trying to ignore the scolding look from the stern, green clothed women. Jenny caught her wife’s glance and laughed silently, shrugging off Clara forgivingly and playfully slapping her partner's shoulder for the look. Clara returned a smile and tuned into the starting of the meeting. She patently waited, listening to the reading of previous minutes, bills, unfinished business and the individual reports when finally, new business was reached. This was when her name would be called and she would know if and where she got assigned. Over the past few weeks, between training and hanging out with the others, she secretly hoped to be paired with Eleven and the Ponds.  
  
“Now onto new business,” the Doctor’s voice cut through her thoughts and a jolt of excitement ran through her.

‘ _Wait- what?’ Did she just feel_ … Clara shoved the treacherous thoughts away and contributed it to the excitement she felt towards finally getting assigned.

“All doctors will be continuing on with your existing mission. Don’t let your work go slack just because you’ve been at the same thing for a while, okay? To help move this along faster, I’ve decided the executive decision to call in favor.” Whispers ran rampant throughout the room, carrying on possible thoughts on what this ‘favor’ was. “Quite now,” the mumbles between people grew louder and filled the cacophonous space, “Come on- quite you pudding brains. Now listen to me, this won’t be detrimental to any of us or our missions. I wouldn’t have taken this huge leap of faith if I didn’t believe in them.”

He sighed and brought his hand up to rub his eye’s in exhaustion. “Speaking of which… Oswald,” yes, the moment she’d been waiting for had come, “You will be an escort guard to a warehouse meeting with potential reinforcements.” She looked at Jenny, wondering if that was a good option or bad; the brunette smiled that dimpled grin and winked.

“Your partner will be Rigsy since he has local knowledge about the area. Good luck on your assignments and remember, Gallifrey falls no more.”

“Wait, Vastra- don’t I need a Doctor?” Clara urgently looked to her left, but her comment fell on deaf ears, Vastra had her eyes glued to the man storming over to them.

“I can deduce what your next words shall be Doctor.” Vastra proclaimed confidently. The Doctor’s harden gaze on the women was broken by a series of confused blinks until his mind registered her words and their ramifications. He nodded and shifted his gaze to Clara, narrowing his eye’s and raising an eyebrow.

“You say that you are ready, Miss. Oswald?” His eye’s the color of steel, their gaze matching the metal’s cool temperature. Clara held her head high and straightened her back giving off an air of confidence. She nodded.

“Good,” he smirked “you’ll be working as my companion from now on,” then he walked off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ps: Things are going to start picking up more!


	11. The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah- I'm a piece of sh*t.  
> I wish I could make it up to you guys, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

* * *

 

Chapter 11- **_The Truth_**

 

_2 weeks prior to the warehouse_

“Ahg! Why does she insist on being such a bitc-” The Doctor yelled when he entered the blue steeled room, but he was cut off by a feminine voice. 

“Ah, ah, ah, don’t finish that sentence, Mother will hear you.”

The Doctor glared at the corner of the room in which the voice came. “Excuse me? Just because weird things seem to happen on their own within TARDIS doesn’t mean it’s alive, and I can say whatever I want- _especially_ if it’s about that short, round-faced brat.”

The shadowed figure arose from the corner and made themselves known by stepping into the orange light cast by the room. It was a woman, young enough to almost be called a girl but she held herself with the poise of an aged royal.

“Don’t be rude to the old girl, you know you’re just letting your temper out by being brash and insolent.” The shadowed women raised her brow, daring him to argue.

The Doctor sighed and rolled his eyes, _‘why couldn’t everyone just leave him alone’_. He turned away from the voice and let himself fall into a worn wingback chair, who’s aged leather has seen many years of exhaustion filled rests. He brought his hand above his eye’s and it settled on his creased brow, sighing as he squeezed his eyes, shutting out the world.

“So old man, what’s got your knickers in a twist now?”

His ears perked up at the sound of nearing footsteps and his gaze rose to the clothed legs of the other occupant. The Doctor was not in the mood to talk at the moment, but he knew that this stubborn woman wouldn’t leave without getting it out of him.

“Whatever gave you the suspicion that there was something amiss Ashildr?” The Doctor watched as she approached the sofa a few feet from him and gracefully plopped down.

“You never come in shouting about a problem unless it seriously irks you, low mumbles and grumble is usually all the recognition someone gets. They must severely cause some trouble; I’d like to meet them.” She ended with a sly smile.

Ashildr was a cunning young woman whose eye’s has seen more history and wonders than most thrice her age. She wasn’t technically a part of TARDIS, more of a… consultant. She would sign on with the Doctor by mission contracts and short assignments, but nothing ever long term. No one knew her real name except for the Doctor for when she was working, her alias was Lady Me. 

She had built up a small community on the outskirts of Gallifrey, housing rebel insurgents who’d left their causes. A deal between TARDIS and Ashildr was struck, allowing for peace between in the alliances and the ability to call on the other for assistance. The difference between the two was that TARDIS was run with a mutual cooperation between the doctors and companions, unlike Ashildr who ran her rag-tag bunch with the clear knowledge that _she_ was in charge; no one defied Lady Me.

The Doctor groaned and stood up from the couch and started to pace around the room; even simply thinking about Clara got him riled up.

“The insolent troublesome is a pest at most. They are rude, has no respect, so short they should be labeled as a midget, and has a detestable round face. They’re only here cause Nine’s companions couldn’t do their job properly, and now I have to deal with this brunette pain in the arse!” His voice slowly rose from a calm tone to a full-blown scolding yell meant for delinquent soldiers. 

“Sounds like you have a crush,” Ashildr said under her breath

 “And another thing-” The Doctor started to begin again but stopped short at the women’s comment. “Excuse me?”

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door and in walked two more women who were determined to ruining his life, or so he thought. He turned to greet the new visitors, but not before glaring at the bemused women now behind him.

“And to what do I owe this… _pleasant_ visit?” The Doctor sneered.

“Don’t give your attitude Doctor. They may call you the oncoming storm, but remember who asked whom for help here.”

The Doctor seemed to visibly flinch and growled under his breath. He didn’t like to be reminded that he needed her help.

“Well then Kate, let’s make this visit short and get on this the show then.” He turned away from the door, his coat catching on the wind and flashing the blazing red silk within.

 Kate sighed and smiled, knowing that the Doctor was only putting on a show. She had brought with her a new intern today, and apparently, he was looking to show off.

If only he knew that Osgood was such a fan.     

The four of them gathered around a table cluttered with blueprints, various schematics, and paper strewn everywhere in between. Ashildr nodded to Kate and her companion Osgood, offering a kind smile, thankful for their assistance.

The next 3 hours were occupied by talks of strategy and logistics, agreements as well as arguing, and about 5 pots of tea. By the end, the Doctor, Lady Me, and UNIT had come up with a plan to try and corner the market on illegal arms trading within Gallifrey. They had their sights on a particular warehouse on the east side that most likely stored guns and ammo for the Daleks. The date and time for the raid were set.

Go in silent, scout out the warehouse, and wipe it clean. 

It was almost too simple…. 

The Doctor soon dismissed Kate and Osgood but allowed them to stay and catch up with various companions within TARDIS. The two groups had grown close over the years and they often lent operatives back and forth.

“If you need us, Doctor, we shall most likely be with the Smith’s. I haven’t talked to Martha and Mickey in quite some time.” Kate said as she and Osgood existed his chambers.

The Doctor sighed and smile to himself, he was eternally grateful to their alliance with UNIT- they would never hear it from him though. His mind started to drift off as he rested against the console, his thoughts touched upon Clara, and their earlier confrontation. He just couldn’t get the feel of her lips against his out of his head.

He knew he shouldn’t have done it but- he couldn’t stop himself. When he saw her in all her anger and passion- his emotions took over and he went for it.  He could feel Ashildr’s glare burning through the back of his head while he contemplated. 

“So who are they?” Her prying voice sounded from behind him. 

“Who’s who Ashildr?” He grunted back, really not wanting to start this conversation up again. He heard the weight in her sigh as it neared him, and then he felt her stand in front of him

“Don’t play dumb you daft old man. Who is the gal?”

His head snapped up, scowling at the woman, “I never said it was a gal!” He immediately knew he had said the wrong thing once he saw Ashildr beam wickedly.

“You just confirmed it.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes and groaned, ‘ _what’s the point anyway’_ he thought?

“If you must know, the infernal woman who has been a pain in my side for the last few months is Clara Oswald. Like I said earlier, she does nothing but challenges everything I say and mock all my instructions. She is bossy, short-tempered, and so very stubborn!”

“So naturally you like her.”

“Yes! Wait- no. No! I didn’t say that-”

Ashildr looked at him with a tilt of her head, she watched as shock and confusion cross his face till it turned into an emotion she couldn’t distinguish. He sighed and moved back to the surrounding seats, Ashildr joining him to his right.

“I was frustrated by her at first.” He said looking at her, but then he cast his eyes to the orange glow in the middle of the room. “She did nothing but complain and challenge every order I gave. Saying no to this, arguing about that, questioning every little thing said… Then she started to befriend companions and doctor’s, but she continued her stubborn attitude towards me. It just riled me up more and more! It wasn’t until Susan approached me that I understood.”

Oh, how is goddaughter had helped him? After her parents were lost in the war, the only family she had left was her grandfather and himself. Both doctors vowed to forever protect her and love her as their own. After a long day of meetings and debriefings of missions, Clara Oswald’s normal bickering pushed him a little too far. Susan had noticed his haggard state, and she soon broke down his walls enough to root out the issue. After about an hour of conversation, Susan had informed the Doctor that it was he who had done wrong. The years of conflict and safe housing made him forget that not all people look to TARDIS as a haven. He had trapped Clara here, taken away her dreams, and never even tried to help her. To say the least, he was floored. Susan left him to ponder over this epiphany, reminding him to remember what a good man truly was.

He couldn’t sleep for days following that conversation. He was aghast with himself at how he could forget something so simple, so human. Everyone has a home, and this wasn’t Clara’s. To think that TARDIS had become a family to so many, it had become a beacon of hope- yet for Clara, it had meant something akin to a prison. The Doctor started to tone back many of his comments, with a lot of effort at first, but soon it became natural.

“After a few weeks I think we both started to understand each other a bit better, the nagging became almost like banter. Soon I had a mission that I knew Clara would be perfect for since her training had been completed, and she was excelling excellently.”

The Doctor paused before he continued, a blush has risen to his cheeks. 

“We were discussing her, and the mission when I got an overwhelming feeling to kiss her. I don’t really know what came over me, but it caught us both off guard, to be honest.”

Ashildr was sitting on her chair grinning like a fool. She had sensed a change in the old man through their meeting today. His eyes looked a little kinder, softer- like how they used to be when he was with Ri-

_Let’s not go there._

“So does that mean I’m going to have to deal with your sexual tension the entire mission? Cause if that’s how it’s going to be, I’m just going to shove you both it a closet to snog it out.” 

The Doctor growled and shot off the couch to clean up the work table they had been at earlier, while Ashildr doubled over in laughter on the sofa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate me too.


	12. The Countdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Andi and to all those who have left comments and kudo's, these chapters are published because of you.

* * *

 

Chapter 12- **_Countdown_**

 

The blue SUV shook as it drove through the ally, Clara groaned as her shoulder slammed into the side of the car once again. _Couldn’t they choose a more even road?_

“Now, remember the plan. Go in smoothly and cautiously, the warehouse house should be clear besides the contraband but we will still be safe. Once the subjects are secured, we shall call in the other teams to follow, and load up the cargo. Are we clear?”

Everyone nodded and verbally confirmed. Clara watched as Kate turned her face back to the road ahead, every so often casting her eyes over to Osgood who was driving. She trusted Kate for some reason. It’s not like the blond was a complete stranger, many times she been around TARDIS, it’s just that Clara knew deep down that she could trust her.

The rundown building slowly came into view as they crept up upon it. Osgood cut the engines, scanning the region with her eye’s, scouting out the surrounding area. Clara could feel her stomach start to twist into knots. Her breathing increased, but she soon gained control, and forced her mind to settle. _‘It’s going to be fine, just a simple drop off’_

Yet something continued to tug at the back of her mind…

As they pulled up, Kate radioed to the rest of the fleet vehicles to stay out of sight but within a mile proximity. UNIT and Ashildr both brought about a dozen men each to aid in the removal of the goods, and to serve as back up in case a surprise was triggered.

 Osgood brought the truck to a stop, and everyone started to unload. The Doctor had been quiet most of the ride, minus a few comments reassuring Osgood regarding her navigation. He was glaring, like always, but he seemed cautious and nervous…

“What’s wrong?” Clara asked the Doctor as she came to stand beside him. He jumped, startled by her question and spun around to look at the short woman. 

“Gods Clara, can you not do that! Your lack of stature is unnerving enough- I don’t need you sneaking up on me on top of that.”

Clara had to stifle a laugh at the man in front of her, his creased eyebrows and outrageous hair made him seem like an old floofy owl.  He had been letting it grow longer, not that she really noticed or cared that his longer locks made him look even sexier. _Brain, Shut up!_

“I’d avoiding catching your reflection in the side mirror then- those eyebrows will have you running all the way back to TARDIS in fright.” Clara laughed and set a wink his way. The Doctor tried to keep his mask of indifference up but it soon caved and a slight smile broke through. After she had been assigned to him their banter had increased, more digs and jabs at each other but lately, their insults are less insulting and side comments less sarcastically offensive. Clara knew she would have to think more on this topic later, but now was most certainly not the time- she had a mission.

As they entered the warehouse, Clara felt tense and grew increasingly uneasy. It was a huge space whose four walls let light in through the giant broken factory windows placed high above their heads. Some old machinery lay around; some still its original place while others were scattered around the dusty and dirty floor.

“Are you sure that no one is here?” she said slowly, raising her head and slowly circling and cataloging her surroundings within her head.

 “Of course Miss. Oswald, Osgood has assured me that the premise is secured.” A crackle of static could be heard through the earpieces and soon Osgood’s voice filled their ear’s.

“Everything is reading clear from this side Clara, but I must agree with you, taking caution when proceeding though here should be advised.” Clara nodded even though she knew Osgood couldn’t see her.  

Then there was a deafening explosion and she felt her body lift from the ground below only to meet it again a few feet away. Her ears were ringing loudly- most definitely a sizable explosion. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, but nothing cleared her chaotic mind. She blinked through the dust and crouched instead of stood. ‘ _It wouldn’t be helpful if I got shot now’_ she thought. 

Soon the area was filled with the sounds of gunfire and shouting; a symphony of chaos. Kate gave orders for UNIT, and Ashildr cleared her backup to storm in and returned fire on all the Dalek insurgents. Clara dove for a nearby pillar seeking shelter from the bullets, she could feel her training being triggered as she reached for her weapon. She cleared her mind and focused on the task at hand, get her team out alive. She steadied her hand and aimed at the target; fire. She breathed out, spotted another target and aimed her weapon; fire.

While Clara continued to expertly gun down the enemy insurgents, Osgood and Kate were taking cover behind crates near the south wall. The duo knocking down targets one by one, their synchronicity and chemistry on the battlefield was an overpowering force to be recon with. The Doctor soon appeared beside them, seemingly coming out of nowhere, but there wasn’t time to answer that question now.

“Look at you two; simpatico!” he said just before turning away and prepping to run towards the north entrance where they entered and where Ashildr was currently held up. He had a plan to get Ashildr with a few of her men to try and ambush the Daleks from behind, but he had to get over their first. He noticed a stack of wooden pallets with thick bags gathered on each end in the middle of the warehouse floor are- the dismal cover would have to do, he was simply using it to get over to the other side anyway. With that, he sucked in a breath and sprinted at the barrier, dropping down into a slide enabling him to make it perfectly behind. He could hear the gun fire trying to pierce the pallets, wood chips splinted off and littered the surrounding area; he needed to move, and do it fast. He quickly peaked through a space near the think bags and look up to see where he was the fire was coming from, but as he noticed the gunman, something else caught his eye.

 Someone else. And he felt every bone in his body freeze, every muscle once energized, stiff.  

Clara watched as the Doctor sprinted to the misshaped wooden shanty in the middle of the room, she couldn’t help but think _‘geez, is he trying to kill himself?!’_. She heard more shots wiz by her and she gun downed two more men but when she returned her sights to the Doctor she saw him frozen and facing the gunfire. She shouting at him to move out of the way! 

_Why wasn’t he moving?_

_He needed to take cover somewhere else! Run!_

_Fire back!_

**_‘Anything_** **!** ’

Clara knew that after a second of him not moving, she would need to intervene. She quickly glanced back to the corner where shots were being fired at her earlier, checking if the shooter was still there. She launched herself back behind the pillar just as a shot was fired right at her previous spot. Clara shut her eyes and tried to calm her gasping lungs, _she needed to focus._ Clara opened her eyes and narrowed them in determination as she blew out a calming breath. She slowly slid her back against the pillar so she could peak around the corner again. She waited a second, silencing the battle in the background, and then she quickly spun out into the open space and fired into the crook. She watched as shocked spread across her targets face and he slowly slumped back in to the wall, now lifeless.

Clara started running to the Doctors position, estimating that he was about 30 paces away; she saw how focused his gaze was, his eyes aimed upwards. She chanced a look to where she believed he was focused and she noticed a figure cast in an orange glow from the flames bellow them. It was a very old man, heavily wrinkled with his eye’s barley open it seemed. He was talking. Clara could just barely make out what he was saying… something about an old friend?

Very strange, but she could focus on that now.

 Before Clara turned away she caught the shimmer of a metallic something that appeared to be on the man’s forehead, but then a wall of flames erupted in front of the figure.

This was her chance, Clara braced herself, ran, and bulldozed into the Doctor, saving him at the last minute from the tendrils of flames and heat that engulfed the wood and flammable material. The tripped and stumbled on the side of the wall, tucked behind Ashildr’s fighters just as another explosion hit near them, ‘ _surely that one would have done the old man in if she hadn’t saved his arse’._

“What the hell were you doing?!” She yelled at the man beside her as she wiped the sweat from her forehead and around her eyes, clearing her vision of wood chips and other debris. When he didn’t respond to her, she wiped her head around almost ready to punch him before she saw his expression. The Doctor was staring wide-eyed, mouth half opened with an expression mixed with fear and confusion- comatose sights on the spot where that man had been before. He’d look like he had seen a ghost.

“Doctor, what’s wrong, who was that?” Clara gently asked. She was surprised when he responded, clear and strong- not wavering.

“Davros.”

A spark went through her mind; Clara knew that name- but where?

_Oh._

_Oh no._

The story that Jenny had told her, that where the name was from. But Clara’s thoughts were interrupted by the Doctor’s voice.

“Thank you, Clara. You saved my life.” His eyes appeared more green then blue, changed from what they were a moment ago. He was more collected now, mask back on but she could see through a tiny bit, he was grateful and truly thanking her. Before she could form her apology, shouting broke the pair apart. 

Kate and Ashildr were advancing their attack on their retreating opponent, the gunfire lessening as the Daleks were either sent out of the warehouse or shot down. Clara and the Doctor remained shocked on the floor, watching as the two women led the charge and successfully driving out the Daleks.

Everything moved quickly after that. Scouts were left to patrol the area with orders to bring in anyone they found for interrogation, the bodies were cleaned up and the warehouse fixed to look less like a battle zone. Everyone was taken back to TARDIS, supplied with rooms, medical attention, and hot meals. It would take some time to absorb everything that happened today. 

Those in charge convened in the Doctor’s quarters, the blue steel casting longer shadows than when they met here before. Tensions were high; it was going to be a long night.

Thankfully everyone was mostly silent, most likely replaying everything that went on today. The Doctor looked around at the people currently seated at a table, trusted members of each group. UNITS officers consisted of Kate, Osgood, Sargent Benton and Captain Yates while Ashildr selected a ragtag looking group from her men, their faces unfamiliar. From TARDIS were people who either had influence and respect from all: Jack, Sarah Jane, Vastra and himself. His gaze wondered to the seat near the middle of the huddle, next to Jack as she walked him through the attack; Clara. She wasn’t necessarily supposed to be present in a meeting like this but after today- he felt the need to have her closer. Which lead to feelings he was not keen on working through right now. 

“Excuse me,” he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. Those at the table went silent and shift their focus to the calm, grey-haired man. “As I’m sure most of you know by now, either from being present or informed by others present, an ambush occurred at our meeting point. This meeting shall be about the debriefing of what took place and how we should move forth, together.”

All those present spoke and listened deep into the night and into the morning. After everything was over, everyone was sent to bed knowing that tomorrow there would be a meeting with everyone: TARDIS, UNIT, and Lay Me’s people to discuss what had happened and where they go from here. People slowly filtered out, saying last-minute comments to each other with promises to talk in the morning after much-needed sleep.

Clara started to walk out with Jack and the other women when she noticed the Doctor at the table. His stare was vacant and cast upon the orange light in the room, his brow furrowed and mind lost within dark thoughts it seemed.

“I’m going to go talk with him, have a goodnight guys.” As she started to walk away, she caught the fading conversation of Jack and Sarah Jane.

“He doesn’t do well with emotions, especially after something like this,” said Sarah Jane.

“I know, but if anyone can get through to him, it’s Clara,” Jack replied, their words but whispers now.

Clara approached the Doctor as everyone left the room, she could hear the door close behind her. He sat in his chair looking pained and heartbroken almost- it hurt her to see him like this.

“Doctor?” 

He jostled and snapped his head to the sound of her voice, blinking up at her through blurry eyes. The green surrounded by unshed tears quickly being blinked away then whisked off by rough hands. The Doctor abruptly stood, forcing Clara to step back so he could stomp towards the couched area.

“Go to bed, Clara.” He growled

_Why did he have to be like this?_

He proceeded to sit down on a couch, but then grimaced and laid down. Clara saw how he rubbed his head and neck, assuming he had a headache caused by the day’s events and long meeting. The Doctor closed his eyes and sighed, remaining still on the couch, so she decided to sit beside him.

Clara silently walked over to him, and gently picked up the Doctors head and rested it on her lap once she sat. His eyes opened wide and glared at Clara in shock and anger but curious as to what she was doing. 

“It seemed to me that you might have a headache and your neck is bothering you, so I wanted to help,” she said while gazing down at him. He looked defensive and scared as she slowly brought her hand to his hair, gently running her fingers through the soft curls. The Doctors eyes slid shut and a moan escaped him in response to the pleasurable feeling. As Clara continued her caress, she started to calm her racing mind. Something was obviously developing between her and the Doctor: the bantering, the looks, the kiss and the others comments and whispers containing both their names. Whatever it was though, she knew she would have to talk to him about it soon, but soon wasn’t now. Right now' they just laid there, drawing comfort from each other’s presence and gradually excepting the mutual connection they both felt while drifting off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey!! My name is Brianna and this is the first story that I have posted, sorry again for the mistakes. Thank you for reading! If anybody wants to help write or if you guys have ideas Please Tell ME!!
> 
> PS: I do not own Doctor Who nor do I own the characters, If I did.... things would be different(:


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